Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Briefing
National Skills Development Strategy 25 June 2002

Sector Education and Training Authorities
Progress on the NSDS Implementation

Status Report
- 25 SETAs were established for a (5) Five years period in terms of Section 9(1) of the SD Act by the Minister on 20 March 2000 and remains operational
- 80 % of the SD Levies Funds have and continue to be transferred monthly to SETAs (R1.6 2000/1 & R 3.2 billion during 2001/2)
- SETAs are not homogenous and are at different levels of development w.r.t. staff and Board capacity, resources, stakeholder awareness and participation levels and implementation of their functions

Status Summary
- The first set of all SETA Annual Reports were tabled in parliament during Nov 2001 and April 2002 period
- Some SETAs continue to receive good publicity while others continue to receive negative publicity
- 21 SETAs concluded MoUs with DoL during 200112 and 22 have already signed MoUs for the 2002/3 before the end of June 02 deadline
- All SETAs were provided with legal services regarding the amendment of their constitutions

Status Report
- The majority of SETAs do attend the DoL organised SETA Forum and the NSDS Forums on a monthly basis
- All SETAs were listed as Public entities as from 1 April 2001
- SETAs have submitted quarterly reports to the DoL outlining their performance w.r.t. their functions
- 8 SETAs appeared before the Labour Portfolio Committee during May 2002

Challenges: SETA Annual Reports
- The Quality and content differed quite considerably despite the guidelines provided to SETAs
- A special workshop on the SETA Annual report was conducted to focus on content, link with Business plans, the AG process and problems/solutions, timefrarnes for submission to DoL and parliament
- Meetings with the AG's Office to address aspects that may delay the final release of the financial statements

Challenges: SETA Governance
- Levels of of SETA autonomy from government and role of the accounting authority
- Procedure for stakeholders nomination, participation and control of SETA Boards
- Relations between SETA staff CEO and the Boards
- Insufficient financial contribution by government departments towards SETA administration costs

SETA Governance
Challenges
- Establish agreement with SETAs to allow DoL officials to attend some SETA Board meetings
- Periodic DoL Capacity Building workshops
- Annual visit by DoL Senior officials to SETAs
- Strengthening of the reporting requirement of the SETAs
- Regular feedback to SETA w.r.t their quarterly performance.
- Ensuring that current SETA Constitution review process outline procedures for appointment and accountability of Boards members

Communication: DoL and SETAs
The levels of communication between DoL and SETAs has improved significantly
CHALLENGES
- Revise and streamline communication with SETAs
- Establish a formal communication(Circulars) with SETAs w.r.t policy matters and operational matters
- Additional Capacity dedicated to organise and managing the agenda and documentation of the SETA and NSDS Forums Improved levels of attendance and participation in Forums by TA members

Support to SETAs
The DoL has over the last year increased its support to SETAs through:
- The introduction of a SETA Board capacity development programme on Roles and Responsibilities
- Relocating and consolidating all SETA support services under a single Directorate
- Allocation of additional SIMs staff to assist in the SETA support and coordination

Progress: SETA Funds
An analysis of the financial statements of the first year Annual report of SETAs was conducted including the quarterly reports to assess SETA performance
- individual feedback was provided to SETAs regarding their performance
- Three SETAs overspent on their administration component due to huge legal costs, outsourcing and huge administration
- SETAS liave embarked on individual campaigns to raise the levels of awareness amongst their stakeholders to implement training initiatives and to claim SD levies

SD Levies Collection
- The NSA and CCMA have resolved disputes in contested SIC areas under various SETAs
CHALLENGES
- Improved interaction with SARS
- Finalization of the MoU with SARS
- Timeframes for transferring SD Levies to SETA Bank accounts
- Updating of the SIC Codes and reallocation of funds remaining under SETA Zero

Challenges : SD Levies Collection
- Finalization of the MoU with SARS and improved working relations
- Reducing timeframes for transferring SD Levies to SETA Bank accounts
- Manual calculation of grant disbursements by some SETAs and the high levels of mistakes in the process
- Lack of interface between the different IT disbursement systems that are being developed
- Shortcomings in the various systems purchased by various SETAs

SD Information System
Most SETAs have purchased or commissioned the development various IT systems

Challenges
- Ensure that the SD Act amendment process empowers the Ministers to regulate the usage of the information system
-Market the DoL SGDIS, Produce protocols and standards reporting, Develop a capacity building programme for SE' the usage of the system
- Conduct an analysis of the current information systems so move towards a single integrated information

New Areas of SETA Focus
- SETA Quality Management Systems
- Capacity development of SETA Boards and SETA staff
- Risk management and fraud prevention
- SETA role and support to SMMEs
- SETA I DoL Provincial Offices Liaison
- Monitoring and Evaluation of SETA Performance

NATIONAL SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Skills for Productive Citizenship for all
Achievement & Challenges

NSDS - Overview
- 5 objectives, 12 success indicators
- 3 equity targets - beneficiaries to be 85% black; 54% women; 4% persons with disabilities
- Identifies priorities for skills development
- Provides a vehicle to focus implementation by dol, setas and other key institutions
- Provides a mechanism for measuring progress
- 1 year into implementation, 3 years left

Objective 1: Developing a culture of high quality life-long learning
1.1 70% of workers have at least NQF level 1
1.2 15% of workers are being trained and 50% of these have completed successfully
1.3 20 enterprises per sector, plus 5 govt. departments to have achieved a national standard for people
development

SETA progress:
- Approximately 58 000 workers in structured NQF level 1 training programmes (1.15m to
achieve target)
- About 350 000 workers in structured training
- Of workers in training: approx. 64% black; 37% women; .12% disabled

Dol & NSF progress
- Approximately 72 000 workers trained through dol provincial skills projects
- Substantial members to be trained in ABET courses under NSF strategic projects
- Investors in people being piloted in 40 organisations

Objective 2: Fostering skills development in the formal economy for productivity and employment growth
2.1 75% of firms (>150) receive grants
2.2 40% of firms (50-150) receive grants
2.3 Learnerships available in all sectors
2.4 Govt. depart. assess and report on budgeted expenditures for skills development

SETA progess
- Average of 21% of firms have received grants. Mostly large firms employing majority of workers.
- 87% of skills levy disbursed or allocated.
- 13% of levy income still available for grant allocation.
- Learnerships available in 21 sectors.
- 71/140 government departments havesubmitted wsps to PSETA

DoL & NSF Progress
- 1 500 NSF Scarce Skills Bursaries identified and administration being finalised
- 35 proposals for Innovation and Research relevant to skills development under consideration
- Monitoring and evaluation system in development

Objective 3: Stimulating and supporting skills development in small business
3.1 20% of new and existing small firms are supported in skills development

SETA progress
- Increased focus on this objective during 2001-2 with most setas including specific commitments in the business plans
- A new venture creation learnership (NQF 4) developed and registered and 26 entrepreneurship unit standards are nearing registration with SAQA

DoL and NSF Progress
- 19 SETAs submitted NSF strategic project proposals containing specific SMME objectives. Implementation to commence in 2002-3.
- Collaboration with DTI and other SMME agencies has been initiated to support these projects
- DoL facilitating coordination and communication between SETAs and others in this area

Objective 4: Promoting skills development for employability and sustainable livelihoods through social development initiatives
4.1 100% of NSF funds to social development is spent on viable development projects
4.2 Impact of funding is measured

DoL & NSF social development funding window (provinces) progress
- Total allocated to social development projects: R237 853 497
- Total allocation to projects: R195 308 578
- Total spent: R149 227 054
- Total number trained: 72 257
- Total completing training courses: 71 056

Training beneficiary profile:
98% black; 56% female; Approx. 1400 disabled persons trained

Objective 5: Assisting new entrants into employment
5.1 80 000 people under the age of 30 have entered learnerships
5.2 At least 50% of those completing learnerships are in employment, in full-time study or further training or in a social development programme within 6 months of completion

SETA progress
- Target of 3000 learners achieved during March 2002
- Currently over 7700 learners in 248 registered learnerships
- 65 learners placed during last quarter in IT sector

DoL & NSF Progress
- Most of the strategic projects submitted by SETAs include learnerships and skills programmes for those in emerging firms or social development projects

NSDS - CHALLENGES
- Accelerating delivery
- Strengthening partnerships - with NSA, setas, provincial offices and providers
- Improved monitoring of performance
- NSDS conference in september 2002
- Coordination with HRD strategy and growth & development summit

NATIONAL SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
National Skills Fund

The NATIONAL SKILLS FUND (NSF)
PURPOSE:
- Established in terms of the Skills Development Act, 1998
- May only be used to fund projects identified in the NSDS as National priorities
- Other projects related to the achievement of the Act as the Director-General determines

Overview of Funding windows
[Ed Note- Contact PMG for tables]

NSF STRATEGIC PROJECTS
To assist through
Skill Development:
- Poverty Alleviation
- Economic Growth
- Employment Growth
- Social Development

FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT
Strategy Projects:
- National skills development strategy
- Integrated action plan to accelerate growth employment and investment
- Human resources Development strategy
- Social Cluster Priorities

CONCEPT APPROVAL PROCESS
[Ed Note- Contact PMG for tables]

Approval Criteria
- Adherence too national strategies
- Stakeholder analyses
- Tactics/method of operating the project
- Constraints/assumptions/dependencies
- Project completion issues
- Management controls
- Financial management
- Procurement management
- Evaluate plans
- Management organisation
- Quality assurance
- Risk analyses
- Planning methodology
- Communication strategy

Consolidation Stage
Due diligence
- Revenue
- Business review
- Procurement & suppliers
- Management & employees
- Compliance to PFMA

Contract negotiations
Director-general approval

Implementation
- Project management system in place
- Disbursement
- Achievement of milestones
- Targets achieved
- Impact measured

Social Development Window
Implementing agent:
- Department of labour provincial offices
- (Employment and skills development business unit)

Accounting officer
- Provincial executive manager

Advisory board
- Provincial skills development forum: (Stakeholder forum advise provincial executive manager on project allocation)

Allocation Criteria to Provincial Offices
- Provincial skills plans
- Development status of province: (Unemployment rate, population size etc.)
- Government capital budgets & programmes: (Provincial growth and development strategy, urban renewal rural development, municipal infrastructure etc.)
- Spending capacity: Previous years spending rate

Skills for job growth in the Development Sector?
[Ed Note- contact PMG for diagram]

Work experience in the Development Sector?
Development interventions are those that:
- improve the quality of life of the poor
- secure basic services and infrastructure
- lay the basis for rising standards of living over time through access to new forms of income generation

Initiatives such as:
- integrated Rural Development Strategy
- Urban Renewal Strategy
- Local Economic Development
- Spatial Development Initiatives (linked to formal sector growth)

Including programmes such as:
- Working for water (job creation for environmental protection)
- Community-based public works
- Building of houses, access to water, upgrading schools, roads etc.
- Youth Community Service

Role of DoL in supporting Social Development Projects
Benefit to learners:
- Skills training linked to industry and SAQA accreditation
- Additional life skills exposure (HIV/AIDS, environmental awareness, self employment exposure)

Benefits to project
- DoL pays for and monitors training component

Progress on National collaborations
- Department of water affairs and forestry (working for water)
- Department of environmental affairs and forestry (working for coast; UN conference on sustainable development)
- Department of transport (northern province roads agency - Limpopo)

Planned initiatives
Formal agreements with all government departments re: poverty relief projects.

Piloting concept of provincial skills development facilitator.
- Community agents that facilitate development of community based projects, in co-operation with DPLG, LGSETA etc.
- PSDF will complement local staff (employment service practitioner').

Learnerships
- What is learnerships?
- Progress
- Challenges

What are learnerships?
1. Work-based learning route to qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework
2. Integrate structured theoretical learning and assessment with structured workplace learning and assessment
3. Credit bearing 50th multiple exit levels
4. Applicable in all economic sectors
5. Range from vocational, technical, para- professional to professional

Progress
- Two hundred and forty eight learnerships registered
- Seven thousand seven hundred and three learners registered
- FASSET: 4472 SETASA; 5
- CTFL: 425 theta: 1422
- ETDP: 512 TETA 150
- FOODBEV: 30 w&r: 562
- MERSETA: 35
- PAETA: 69

Progress cont .
1. Assessor training implemented - 7648 assessors across 19 sectors (SETASI, 600 of these Technical College lecturers
2. All SETAS have policies and systems for learnership grants and allowances
3. Learnership registration systems developed
4. Curriculum and learning support materiel development ongoing
5. Tax incentive for employers in Parliamentary process
6. Quality Assurance of learning sites ongoing

Challenges
- Learnership workplace experience for new entrants
- Delivery in partnership with public providers
- Appropriate ETDP capacity
- Placement of learners on completion of learnerships
- Learnerships in SMEs and communities especially rural
- Learnerships in the public sector

Investors In People
Overview of Project and Project Plan

National Skills Development Strategy
Objective One: Developing a culture of life long learning
- By March 2000, an average of 20 enterprises per sector (to include large, medium and small firms) and at least five national government departments, to be committed to, or have achieved (an agreed national standard) Investors in People Standard for enterprise based people development

Purpose of the Project
To establish a national standard, linked to the grant system, to promote people development within organisations.

Main focus area of Project 1
[Ed Note – Contact PMG for table]

Overview of Timeframes
- First pilot organisation to achieve the standard by Sept 2002
- First SA practitioners registered by Feb 2003
- Pilot programme to be evaluated by June/July 2003
Purpose of pilot: to test the relevance of the investors in people standard in south Africa
- The investors in people standard to be approved for national implementation by Dec 2003

Overview of timeframe
- The national agency announced by April 2004
- 500 organisations and 5 national government departments to have achieved or to have committed to the standard by march 2005
- The standard to be linked to the grant system, so that it can become effective as from 1 April 2005